Absence of Pericarditis Recurrence in Rilonacept-Treated Patients With COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination: Results From the RHAPSODY Long-term Extension.

Background: Rilonacept inhibits the interleukin-1 pathway, and extended treatment in patients with recurrent pericarditis (RP) reduced recurrence risk by 98% in the phase 3 trial, RHAPSODY long-term extension (LTE). Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-CoV-2 vaccination and/or infection may trigger pericarditis recurrence, and in clinical practice, it is unknown whether to continue rilonacept during SARS-CoV-2 infection. This post-hoc analysis of the RHAPSODY LTE aimed to inform rilonacept management in RP patients vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 or who contract COVID-19.

Pulmonary Hypertension with Left Heart Disease: Prevalence, Temporal Shifts in Etiologies and Outcome.

Introduction: Pulmonary hypertension has many causes. While it is conventionally thought that the most prevalent is left heart disease, little information about its proportion, causes, and implications on outcome is available.

Methods: Between 1993 and 2015, 12,115 of 66,949 (18%) first adult transthoracic echocardiograms were found to have tricuspid incompetence gradient ≥40 mm Hg, a pulmonary hypertension surrogate.

Radial versus femoral access, bleeding and ischemic events in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndrome managed with an invasive strategy.

Background: Bleeding is a major limitation of antithrombotic therapy among invasively managed non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE-ACS) patients; therefore, we examined the use of radial access and its association with outcomes among NSTE-ACS patients.

Methods: Clinical characteristics and geographic variation in radial access were examined, as well as its association with bleeding, red blood cell transfusion and ischemic outcomes (96-hour death/myocardial infarction/recurrent ischemic/thrombotic bailout; 30-day death/myocardial infarction; 1-year death) in the EARLY versus delayed, provisional eptifibatide in acute coronary syndromes trial.

Results: Of 9126 patients, 13.

Surgery for ischemic mitral regurgitation: should the valve be repaired?

Background And Aim Of The Study: Patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) often have concomitant mitral regurgitation (MR). Repairing the valve at the time of surgery is not universally accepted. The results of CABG with or without mitral valve annuloplasty (MVA) were compared in patients with reduced left ventricular (LV) function and ischemic MR.

Rapid transcatheter occlusion of a coronary cameral fistula using a three-lobed vascular occlusion plug.

Transcatheter occlusion of coronary cameral fistulae has been well reported. In large fistulae multiple devices with prolonged procedures are often required for complete occlusion. We present the case of a large right coronary artery-to-right atrial fistula that was rapidly and simply occluded with the three-lobed Amplatzer Vascular Plug 2.

Repair of ischemic mitral regurgitation: comparison between flexible and rigid annuloplasty rings.

Background: The surgical treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation (MR) usually involves implantation of an annuloplasty ring. We compared results of mitral valve repair using a flexible or a rigid annuloplasty ring in patients with ischemic MR undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

Methods: There were 169 patients.

Tricuspid incompetence following permanent pacemaker implantation.

Aim: Severe tricuspid insufficiency (TI) after permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI) has been described in small series of patients, though its incidence is not known.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 545 patients who underwent PPI and had Doppler echocardiograms performed before and after the procedure. We excluded 135 patients who had > or =moderate TI on the 1st Doppler echocardiogram.

[Surgery for ischemic mitral regurgitation: results and long-term follow-up].

Background: The natural history of patients with ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) shows a poor prognosis. The surgical risk in these patients is high, but affords improved survival. We examined long-term results after coronary bypass and mitral repair for patients with IMR.

Does mitral valve intervention have an impact on late survival in ischemic cardiomyopathy?

Background: Ischemic mitral regurgitation is associated with reduced survival after coronary artery bypass surgery.

Objectives: To compare long-term survival among patients undergoing coronary surgery for reduced left ventricular function and severe ischemic MR in whom the valve was repaired, replaced, or no intervention was performed.

Methods: Eighty patients with severe left ventricular dysfunction and severe MR underwent coronary bypass surgery.

Transient left ventricular apical ballooning. Report of 5 Israeli patients.

Background: Transient left ventricular (LV) apical ballooning is characterized by acute onset of chest pain with reversible balloon-like LV motion abnormality, hypercontractile basal segments, ST segment elevation or T-wave inversion in anterior chest leads and mild cardiac enzyme rise in the absence of significant coronary disease.

Methods: We describe 5 patients (4 females) with anteroapical ballooning who were hospitalized with acute myocardial infarction and showed ST segment elevation in anterior chest leads.

Results: Echocardiogram demonstrated apical ballooning with normal or hypercontractile contraction of the basal segments.

Anaemia and heart failure: aetiology and treatment.

Heart failure (HF) is a common disease associated with poor prognosis. Anaemia is commonly associated with HF due to bone marrow depression, reduced availability of iron and haemodilution, and is sometimes aggravated by too frequent blood testing. Low haemoglobin is very detrimental to the haemodynamic state of the patient with decreased cardiac output as it further diminishes the oxygen supply to the tissues.

C-reactive protein and NT-proBNP as surrogate markers for pulmonary hypertension in Gaucher disease.

Background: N-terminal pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide (NT-proBNP) values correlate with mild-moderate pulmonary hypertension assessed by tricuspid insufficiency (TI) gradient>or=30 mm Hg in Gaucher disease. The purpose of this study is to ascertain improved risk stratification based on correlation with NT-proBNP and C-reactive protein (CRP), a standard marker of inflammation.

Methods: Patients with type I Gaucher disease were selected to reflect differing degrees of echocardiographically determined TI gradient values.

Rofecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, lowers C-reactive protein and interleukin-6 levels in patients with acute coronary syndromes.

Background: Patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) have high levels of inflammatory mediators such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin (IL)-6.

Aim: To evaluate whether patients with ACS treated with rofecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, will have reduced CRP, IL-6, and soluble tumor necrotic factor receptor-1 (sTNF-R1) levels and improved endothelial function.

Methods And Results: Thirty-four patients hospitalized with ACS were randomized to receive rofecoxib, 25 mg/d plus aspirin 100 mg/d, or placebo plus aspirin, 100 mg/d, for a period of 3 months.

Results of coronary artery stenting in women versus men: a single center experience.

Background: Prior studies have suggested that women are at higher risk for morbidity and mortality during coronary angioplasty, although long-term prognosis is similar after successful procedures.

Objectives: To examine the role of gender in coronary stenting, including immediate procedural success as well as early and late outcomes.

Methods: The study group comprised 560 consecutive patients (119 women and 441 men) who had undergone stenting over a 3 year period.